Putin tells reporter to 'get circumcised'

ABC News ^ | 11/12/02 | staff

[stuartcr]

As I said, we're all human.

[stuartcr]

No I didn't, see my #259. I guess, I'm not communicating very well today, sorry.

[stuartcr]

Well, that's a relief, I'll let them know the next time I see them.

[Feiny]

Bad analogy. There were many Catholics who voiced their disgust about the priest problem. Most people do not have access to the Pope, but they do have their priest, bishops, monsignors, etc. There was and still is a huge outcry about this subject. Perhaps you didn't see the news recently when the Pope decided that the would not be dismissing priests after one charge....there was a flury of protest from the people.

[stuartcr]

By their actions.

[Autodidactic]

Ah, yes. Just as not all Germans supported Hitler. Islam is a religion of "peace" after all.

[stuartcr]

I don't know, I just moved back here from Florida, I was gone for 7yrs, and I haven't gotten out much.

[Terriergal]

This is also a letter which in reading, grips me with the certainty that this man loved this woman:

Sullivan Ballou, a Union soldier in the Civil War, wrote this love letter a few days before he was killed in battle. Excerpted from: www.theromantic.com and from Love Letters by Mary L. Schramski.

July 14, 1861

My very dear Sarah,

I cannot describe to you my feelings on this calm summer night, when two thousand men are sleeping around me, many of them enjoying the last, perhaps, before that of death - and I, suspicious that Death is creeping behind me with his fatal dart, am communing with God, my country, and thee.

. . . Sarah, my love for you is deathless. It seems to bind me with mighty cables that nothing but Omni-potence can break. And yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly, with all these chains, to the battlefield. The memories of the blissful moments I have enjoyed with you come creeping over me, and I feel deeply grateful to God and you that I have enjoyed them so long. And hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years when, God willing, we might still have lived and loved together and seen our boys grow up to honorable manhood around us.

If I do not return, my dear Sarah, never forget how much I loved you, nor that when my last breath escapes me on the battlefield, it will whisper your name. Forgive me my many faults and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless, how foolish I have sometimes been! How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon our happiness.

But, O Sarah! If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the gladdest days and in the darkest nights . . .

. . . and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath, as the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by. Sarah, do not mourn me dead; Think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again . .

This guy has some nice little illustrations that touch on a lot of these questions you have raised. I have talked to him via email and he is very easy to converse with. I found his site a few weeks ago and found it very encouraging. Said a lot of stuff I was thinking but hadn't put into words.

Making the Way Clear

There was a time when there seemed to me to be no way to cross the gap between man and God and no reason to believe that He exists. When I looked at religion I saw nothing but many separate islands of dissention, ritual and hypocrisy.

But when I read the words of Jesus in the Bible, I was amazed to find that His words made more sense to me than anything I had ever heard from any religion. He wanted us all to be one with each other, one with Him and one with God. For the first time, I understood God's nature and the path to Him became clear.

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." Word of Jesus Christ in John 14:6-7

"I pray for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." Word of Jesus Christ in John 17:20-23

[stuartcr]

There always has been evil, and I believe there always will be evil. I think it's a human trait. I wasn't aware that God regretted making us.

[stuartcr]

From the little that I know about Muslims in America, I believe, that like the Catholics, very few have access to the radical leaders in the middle-east, I also don't think that they are structured the same as the Catholic church, thus making it very difficulet for them to publicly make an outcry. I could be wrong.

[stuartcr]

I don't really think that is an accurate analogy, but thanks anyway.

[stuartcr]

What would you like me to say?

[Feiny]

I had no idea about that line either, but it wouldn't surprise me. A quick look at our history show us to be a very violent creation.

[Terriergal]

The thing is, you never know whether someone may discover their own non-adherence and strive to fulfill their obligations better. That is what is dangerous about Islam. Human beings are dangerous enough when physically and emotionally fearful, but Islam combines spirituality with that and creates a deadly mix. They live their lives in fear of Allah's great cosmic scales, and if their deeds on one side outweigh the Allah-pleasing deeds on the other side, they're sunk... even if they are a 'good muslim.'

In fact, the only way to be sure that the deeds which displease Allah are wiped out, is to be a martyr in Jihad. The religion itself is evil... one can only pray and hope and work toward getting the fence sitters to SEE that and get out.

[Fiddlstix]

Go Putin Go
ROFL

[Feiny]

You would be wrong about that....the Muslims in America have access to clerics. Each mosque has a cleric.

[Terriergal]

What would you like me to say?

ya know... I always have to chuckle when people say that. I want you to say what you think, not what I want to hear.

But if you must have an answer, I would like you to say "Ok, I'll go read Mere Christianity and that snapshotsofgod.com site."

But only if you really mean it.

[Terriergal]

That is my answer as well.

[swarthyguy]

>>From the little that I know about Muslims in America,

Now you say this after pontificating.

Ask your muslim friends if they support a secular society with equal rights for women and all religions.

Want some sites to read up about islam from muslims.

try paktoday.com - secularislam.org -- then read islamonline and arabnews.

[dfwgator]

I just love these Princess Di-like people whining about land mines. Why do they use land mines??? Because they work!!!! If your people are under attack in a war and you are fighting for your survival, you do what you have to do to win, and part of that involves using land mines. That's war.